FMU has recently announced the adoption of its new program, where it will be partnering with the non-profit pharmaceutical company WelVista. Based out of Columbia, S.C., FMU is the first public university in South Carolina that WelVista has ever partnered with.
With the adoption of this program, hundreds of students, as well as faculty members and staff of the FMU community, will receive pharmaceutical help, providing free pharmaceuticals such as insulin and other prescription medications to people who do not have health insurance.
Junior history major Devan Campbell serves as the Student Government Association’s (SGA) president. This role has led him to work very closely with the university, as well as WelVista, to help make this program happen.
“It took a lot of time and preparation for the resolution to be passed through the Student Government Senate,” Campbell said. “I met with President Carter in September about this opportunity, and from there, the groundwork was started. The executive board got directly to work meeting with Welvista in person and via Zoom to understand the program and get it off the ground.”
Campbell agreed almost immediately with the university’s decision to pick up the program and is eager to see what it can do for the members of the FMU community.
“I absolutely agree with Francis Marion University picking up the Welvista program,” Campbell said. “President Carter approached me back in September about this opportunity, and it was up to myself and my executive board to pick up the program. Within 24 hours after that meeting, the board came back with the decision to pick it up. Hundreds of our students on campus will benefit from this program. This means that students, faculty and staff without insurance do not have to pick between paying for groceries and paying for medication.”
Campbell is excited to see the outcome of the program. This program means a lot to him, and he is happy to be a part of an organization that can help bring this type of program to the community.
“I am most excited to see the outcome of the program,” Campbell said. “I know that it will take some time to get off the ground and get established on campus. I am really excited to see how this will help out our community because I understand what it is like to be without health insurance and access to pharmaceuticals. It also means a lot more for it to get passed this holiday season as prices for pharmaceuticals and prescriptions go up each and every year.”
Student life specialist Evelyn Prosser also played a direct role in the establishment of the WelVista program on campus. One of the things she is excited about is to inspire other universities to adopt the program, as well.
“I am most excited that Francis Marion University will be the first institution in the state to add this program, hopefully paving the way for other universities in the future,” Prosser said.
Prosser has seen this project in the making for the past year but credits the SGA with taking matters into their own hands these last few months.
“While most of the work of our Student Government Association on this subject has been in the last few months, this project has been in the works for the better part of the year, with more in the coming months to make this happen,” Prosser said.
Prosser believes that if a student is not sure if they would qualify for the WelVista program, they should still go ahead and apply, as there is no fee for application process.
“If you are considering applying for this program, but are unsure whether you qualify or not, still apply,” Prosser said. “There is no fee to apply and no charge for medications you receive from Welvista.”
Applications for the WelVista program will be available to students, faculty and staff starting within the new year.